Burano

We visited Burano (Italy) as part of GetYourGuide-advertised "Venice: Murano Glassblowing & Burano Lacemaking Tour by Boat".

Burano is located in the Venetian Lagoon and the most common way to get there is to use over-water transportation from Venice.

We met our private tour guide near Venice's San Zaccaria vaporetta (near St. Mark's Square) near the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II.

Our tour guide arranged transportation across the lagoon to Murano and Burano and provided narration along the way.

The Official Website of Burano in Italy highlights, "Many international magazines include Burano among the top 10 most colorful cities in the world, although it would be more appropriate to bring it within the first 10 most colorful places in the world or between the 10 most colorful locations in the world."

Under the heading "The Colours of Burano," that same official webiste also states, "All visitors of Burano remain intrigued by the many colours and the colorful houses that are reflected into the green waters of channels, by the leaning bell tower, by the tranquility and the calmness with which the elderly ladies embroider original Burano lace by their tombolo (or lace pillow), while they are laughing and chatting in squares among them. It seems to be in paradise."

About Burano, VistingVenice.com states, "Burano island is famous for its lace and coloured houses: a really recommendable visit."

In "Getting Lost On Burano: Italy's Rainbow Island," Expert Vagabond says of Burano, "Hidden away just 40 minutes North of Venice Italy is the small fishing island of Burano, with houses painted in bright colors like a beautiful rainbow. A magical place to explore!"

VisitingVenice.net talks about Burano being known for multiple reasons including its "colourful houses that make it look like it came out of a fairly tale."

Wikipedia's entry on Burano states, "Burano is an island in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy, near Torcello at the northern end of the lagoon, known for its lace work and brightly coloured homes. The primary economy is tourism."

The Wikipedia entry on Burano also describes why the buildings are so coloful: "Burano is also known for its small, brightly painted houses,^[7] which are popular with artists. The colours of the houses follow a specific system, originating from the golden age of its development. If someone wishes to paint their home, one must send a request to the government, who will respond by making notice of the certain colours permitted for that lot.^[8]"

Regarding Burano's colorfulness, TripSavvy describes more background and history: "Most visitors are drawn to Burano's brightly colored houses that line its boat-filled canals. The tradition of painting houses in this manner is said to relate to the island's heritage as a fishing village—the bright colors made it easier for returning fishermen to find their homes in the thick fog of the lagoon. It is also said that the Burano residents favor the bright paint as a way of marking where one property ends and another begins."

The post "Venice to Burano: The Complete Guide to Visiting Burano from Venice" states, "Visiting bright and colorful Burano from Venice is one of the most popular day trips from the city of canals–and it is well worth the boat ride!"

The Mama Loves Italy Blog post "Visiting Burano: all you need to know about Italy's most colorful town" states about Burano: "Burano is a small, charming island in the Venice Lagoon, in the North of Italy. It is often mentioned as one of the prettiest towns in Italy and also ones of the most unique thanks to two characteristics: its canals and its colorful houses that make the island a real rainbow of colors!"

AFAR's article on "Burano Island" also describes why Burano is so colorful: "An address won’t help you much on Burano. If you're looking for a specific spot on this tiny archipelago off the Venetian coast, let color be your guide. According to legend, island homes were painted in vivid hues to help fishermen find their way in the fog as far back as the 6th century. While neon shades of blue, green, orange, and lavender may seem random, they've been determined by a regulated system for centuries. Even today, property owners must request permission and a selection of permissible colors from the Italian government before slapping a new coat of paint on their aging buildings."

The article "Things to do in Burano (Italy) Venice | The Colorful Island of Italy!" articulates what we found about Burano, "Burano is a photographer's paradise with brightly coloured houses lining the canals," and then goes on to explain reasons for these many colors.

Although the many colors of Burano is arguably its most famouse characteristic, Burano's Leaning Bell Tower (and Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Martino Vescovo) is another immediately recognizable characteristic.

The main square in Burano is often referred to as Piazza Baldassarre Galuppi.

Burano was even more beautiful than we imagined from the photographs and visiting and seeing Burano firsthand was one of the highlights of our first time in Venice.